Senior Account Executive

Company description

With a history that dates back over 80 years, Starcom is a global communications planning and media leader. We are an agency still grounded in our founding principle that people are at the centre of all we do. Each day, we apply this belief to harness the transformative power of data and technology to inspire and move people and business forward. With more than 7,000 employees in over 100 offices around the world, we are the flagship Publicis Media agency that uses our ‘Power of One’ business model, with teams that span multiple disciplines across clients such as Aldi, P&G, Primark, Samsung, Stellantis, and Visa.

We place a huge focus on our People, and have driven flagship D&I and L&D programmes within Publicis Media; our goal is to help every individual reach their fullest potential, and we encourage everyone to make “Brave Plays” in how they approach their work and their own career development. As a result, we have an exceptionally energised and committed talent base, all of us proud of our welcoming and supportive culture, as evidenced by our recognition as one of Campaign’s Best Places to Work for five years in a row, Media Week\’s Agency of the Year 2025 and one of the Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2025.

Overview

What will you be doing?

A Planning Senior Account Executive is an integral part of the team, playing a hands‑on role in the day‑to‑day running of one of the business’s most important retail accounts.

You’ll take full ownership of campaigns for new store openings across all markets, including the UK, working closely with international teams to ensure activity is well planned and delivered to a high standard.

You’ll also be deeply embedded in the performance and mid‑funnel side of the account (the engine room of our client\’s marketing) where digital innovation, learning, and growth are key priorities. This role offers exposure to a fast‑moving, ambitious client that is actively scaling its digital and performance activity.

Responsibilities

• Acting as a key source of market, competitor and category insight, regularly bringing points of view on trends, innovation and activity within fashion and retail.
• Delivering operational excellence on the account by owning finance processes, including budget tracking, handling finance queries, and ensuring spend is accurately managed across markets.
• Supporting the team on campaign planning and media strategy, gathering insights using TGI, Adintel and other similar planning tools, ensuring reporting is delivered to a high standard.
• Identifying and being proactive with any client questions, and supporting the construction of client responses and recommendations, identifying core insights that will help drive the media strategy.
• Taking full ownership of all New Store Opening campaigns, acting as the primary day‑to‑day contact for clients and a trusted advisor on this key workstream, while drawing on support from the Account Manager and Account Director as needed.

Qualifications

• Base understanding of the paid media landscape and how channels work together.
• Knowledge of media metrics and comfortable analysing reports from the buying teams to know how a campaign is performing.
• Good at adapting to change and tight deadlines.
• Strong organisational and communication skills.
• Be able to build strong, trusted relationships with clients.
• Demonstrate ‘brilliant basics’ and contribute to the team delivering excellence every day.
• Be curious, energetic, proactive and willing to engage in wider agency initiatives and opportunities.
• Show interest in building Starcom\’s reputation, positive relationships with media owners and partner agencies.

Additional information

Starcom has fantastic benefits on offer to all of our employees. In addition to the classics, Pension, Life Assurance, Private Medical and Income Protection Plans we also offer:

• WORK YOUR WORLD opportunity to work anywhere in the world, where there is a Publicis office, for up to 6 weeks a year.
• REFLECTION DAYS – Two additional days of paid leave to step away from your usual day‑to‑day work and create time to focus on your well‑being and self‑care.
• HELP@HAND BENEFITS 24/7 helpline to support you on a personal and professional level. Access to remote GPs, mental health support and CBT. Wellbeing content and lifestyle coaching.
• FAMILY FRIENDLY POLICIES We provide 26 weeks of full pay for the following family milestones: Maternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental Leave.
• FLEXIBLE WORKING, BANK HOLIDAY SWAP & BIRTHDAY DAY OFF You are entitled to an additional day off for your birthday, from your first day of employment.
• GREAT LOCAL DISCOUNTS This includes membership discounts with Soho Friends, local restaurants and retailers in Westfield White City and Television Centre.

Publicis Groupe operates a hybrid working pattern with full time employees being office‑based three days during the working week.

We are supportive of all candidates and are committed to providing a fair assessment process. If you have any circumstances (such as neurodiversity, physical or mental impairments or a medical condition) that may affect your assessment, please inform your Talent Acquisition Partner. We will discuss possible adjustments to ensure fairness. Rest assured, disclosing this information will not impact your treatment in our process.